Bone densitometer

1. A method of scanning a patient, the method comprising:

moving a radiation source and a radiation detector along a first scan path substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the patient, wherein the first scan path is across a first femur from a supracondylar flare to a head of the first femur and across a second femur from a supracondylar flare to a head of the second femur;

emitting a first beam of radiation from the radiation source during movement along the first scan path;

detecting the first beam of radiation at the radiation detector during movement along the first scan path;

processing the detected beam so as to form a first image of a first area of the patient along the scan path, wherein the first area includes both the first femur and the second femur;

identifying a region in the first image;

moving the radiation source and the radiation detector along a region scan path corresponding to the identified region;

emitting a region beam of radiation from the radiation source during movement along the region scan path; and

detecting the region beam of radiation at the radiation detector during movement along the region scan path.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing the detected first beam so as to form a second image of a second area of the patient along the first scan path, wherein the second area of the patient is adjacent to the first area.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining a degree of image alignment between adjacent portions of the first image and the second image.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the degree of image alignment comprises analyzing only a selected structure of the patient.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the selected structure comprises a hone.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining the degree of image alignment comprises determining a height of the selected structure.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising scaling at least one of the first image and the second image based at least in part on the height of the selected structure.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first scan path encompasses a plurality of adjacent areas of the patient disposed along the first scan path.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identification is performed manually.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identification is performed automatically.

11. The method of claim 1 , Wherein the region corresponds to a location of a potential atypical fernoral fracture.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the radiation source and the radiation detector along the first scan path comprises moving the radiation source and the radiation detector transversely across a portion of the first femur prior to moving the radiation source and the radiation detector transversely across a portion of the second femur.

13. A method comprising:

measuring a bone mass density of two hips of a patient based at least in part on a hip scan beam;

emitting a first beam of radiation along a first scan path, wherein the first scan path encompasses at least a portion of a length of a femur of the patient;

detecting the first beam of radiation along the first scan path;

processing the detected first beam so as to fonn a plurality of first scan path images of the patient;

determining a degree of image alignment between adjacent portions of adjacent images of the plurality of first scan path images;

merging the adjacent images of the first scan path images at the adjacent portions to form a first scan path composite image;

and

identifying a region in the first scan path composite image, wherein the region is associated with at least one of an atypical femoral fracture and a developing atypical femoral fracture.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

emitting a second beam of radiation along a second scan path, wherein the second scan path is substantially parallel to the first scan path;

detecting the second beam of radiation along the second scan path;

processing the detected second beam so as to form a plurality of second scan path images of the patient;

determining a degree of image alignment between adjacent portions of adjacent images of the plurality of second scan path images; and

determining a degree of image alignment between adjacent portions of adjacent images of the plurality of second scan path images and the plurality of first scan path images.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising merging the adjacent images of the second scan path images at the adjacent portions to form a second scan path composite image.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising merging the adjacent images of the second scan path images and the first scan path images at adjacent portions to form a master composite image.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the degree of image alignment comprises analyzing only a selected structure of the patient.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the selected structure comprises a bone.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the degree of image alignment comprises determining a height of the selected structure.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising scaling at least one of a plurality of adjacent first scan path images based at least in part on the height of the selected structure.

21. The method of claim 13 , further comprising emitting a region beam of radiation from a radiation source, wherein the region beam of radiation is different than the first beam of radiation.